Active Directory (AD) Critical Risk Analysis: Do you know your AD risk score?

In the era of digital transformation, the pivot towards cloud computing has been nothing short of revolutionary, offering organizations scalability, flexibility, and efficiency. However, this shift has inadvertently cast a shadow over a critical component of IT infrastructure that remains the bedrock of organizational security: Microsoft Active Directory (AD). As we embrace cloud technologies, it’s imperative to remember that securing AD is more crucial than ever. It’s the gateway to your digital kingdom, holding the keys to the castle. Yet, in the rush to the cloud, the focus on AD security has waned, leaving a significant gap in organizational defenses—a gap that threat actors are all too eager to exploit.

The Overlooked Foundation

Active Directory manages user identities and access across networks, making it a treasure trove for cybercriminals. Despite its importance, the last 4-5 years have seen a noticeable shift in security priorities towards cloud-centric strategies, overshadowing the foundational security measures AD requires. This oversight is concerning given that AD is often the biggest attack surface for threat actors if left unattended. The statistics are alarming: a 2021 EMA Research Report highlighted that 50% of organizations experienced AD attacks in the preceding two years, with 42% of these attacks proving successful. These figures underscore the critical vulnerabilities that exist when AD security does not receive the attention it deserves.

An Unmanaged and Neglected Active Directory

According to the EMA Research Report commissioned in 2021, the attack surface of an unmanaged Active Directory can be quite extensive and poses several risks:

• Active Directory facilitates delegation of administration and supports the principle of least privilege in assigning rights and permissions
• Misconfigurations in non-human or service accounts can be leveraged to obtain Kerberos service tickets that adversaries can use to gather service passwords by offline cracking methods
• The three types of AD attacks that organizations fear most are data protection API abuse, domain trust exploitation, and AD privilege escalation
• Enterprises listed delegated admins inheriting special permissions, privileged admins, and service accounts or application accounts as the riskiest AD threat vectors

Bridging the Gap with an Active Directory Critical Risk Analysis

Recognizing the dire need for fortified AD security measures, RSM has introduced a comprehensive service offering: “Active Directory Critical Risk Analysis.” This service is meticulously designed to address the multifaceted security needs of AD, ensuring organizations can bolster their defenses against the evolving landscape of cyber threats. The offering is structured around several key pillars, each targeting a specific aspect of AD security:

• Active Directory Configuration: Evaluates the overall structure and setup, ensuring best practices are followed to minimize vulnerabilities.
• Domain Controller Configuration: Assesses the health and security setup of domain controllers, critical components in the AD infrastructure.
• Group Policy: Reviews policies governing security and operational settings, ensuring they effectively enforce security measures.
• Legacy Protocols and Features: Identifies and recommends the disabling of outdated protocols and features that pose security risks.
• Passwords: Examines password policies and settings for privileged accounts, aligning them with current security best practices to thwart unauthorized access.
• Privileged Access: Evaluates the management and monitoring of administrative accounts to prevent misuse and unauthorized actions.
• Users and Computers: Focuses on the security of user and computer accounts, identifying inactive or unauthorized accounts and ensuring proper configurations.

The Road to Resilience

The Active Directory Critical Risk Analysis (AD CRA) offered by RSM transcends the traditional bounds of mere assessments; it is a strategic blueprint for resilience against the pervasive threat of ransomware and other cyber incidents. By pinpointing potential security vulnerabilities within the Active Directory (AD) framework and delivering targeted recommendations for corrective measures, this service is instrumental in fortifying defenses against the ever-growing risk of ransomware attacks. Ransomware, a formidable adversary in today’s cyber landscape, exploits weaknesses within AD to infiltrate and paralyze organizational networks. The AD CRA initiative equips organizations with the critical insights needed to thoroughly understand and refine their AD configurations, thereby hardening their cyber defenses. This strategic approach not only aids in reducing the likelihood of sensitive data breaches but also significantly bolsters the overall security posture, ensuring that the core of the IT infrastructure remains an impregnable fortress against cyber threats.

Conclusion

In conclusion, as we continue to embrace the cloud, we must not forget the foundations upon which our digital environments are built. Active Directory is as critical as ever, serving as the linchpin of organizational security. The statistics reveal a stark reality: the threat landscape is evolving, and AD remains a prime target for cybercriminals. Through RSM’s Active Directory Critical Risk Analysis, organizations have the opportunity to close the security gap, ensuring their AD is not just a gateway for authorized users but a fortress against adversaries. Let’s not leave the keys to our digital kingdom hanging in the balance. Secure your Active Directory, secure your enterprise.

Contact us

To learn more about this service offering, please reach out to Jonathan Blaue: Jonathan.Blaue@rsmus.com

Jonathan Blaue

As the Leader of RSM’s Infrastructure Architecture Team, Jonathan Blaue provides clients with industry-focused Digital Transformation Planning, Design and Delivery solutions to middle market customers. Tailoring our solutions to a client’s industry-specific business requirements helps RSM stand apart from its competitors. The Architecture team is focused heavily on RSM’s Advise/Deliver/Maintain approach to make sure clients feel comfortable in what they’re getting and ultimately leading to the successful delivery of business outcomes.